PharmD / MBA Program

In today's challenging health care environment, acquiring a sound combination of patient care and management skills is a must to effectively provide health care to customers. Health care professionals require organizational oversight skills to plan, manage, and control within the dynamic health care industry. They need to know how to motivate, lead, and work with others to achieve organizational objectives.

To this end, the program is directed toward providing the education students need to develop an understanding of the major functional areas in health care organizations and to design strategic plans and policies to cope with the changing pharmaceutical and health care environments.

Students enrolled in the PharmD/MBA program can earn both degrees in five academic years. If earned independently, these degrees would require six years of study.

Admissions

Applicants to the PharmD/MBA Program must complete the application requirements of both Fisher College of Business and College of Pharmacy separately, applying independently to each school. Students will enter the PharmD program initially, and in order to enter the combined PharmD/MBA program, students will be asked to apply during their third year of the PharmD program with the intention to start the MBA portion the following Autumn term.

Both colleges have small classes, approximately 120 in the PharmD program and 150 in the MBA program, and start in the fall of each calendar year. While the business school follows a rolling admissions process, for the PharmD degree you are expected to send in your application by January 1. For both programs, it is best to submit application materials early.

To complete a PharmD degree, you need to take 164 semester credit hours. For the MBA degree, you are expected to earn 57 semester credit hours. In a dual degree scenario, you will be able to leverage part of your PharmD electives toward your MBA degree.

A student participating in the PharmD/MBA program can potentially receive credit for 12 semester credit hours of work accomplished as part of the College of Pharmacy requirements. These PharmD Electives fall into the category of Pharmacy Practice Management.

Likewise, 10 credit hours of MBA courses, in consultation with your academic advisor at the College of Pharmacy, will be accepted toward the PharmD degree.

Career Placement

In addition to the more than 300 companies that recruit from the Fisher's Office of Career Management, you will have every opportunity to use the Ohio State career fairs and alumni network to find that ideal professional opportunity.

The majority of graduates with the dual degree initially take positions in the pharmaceutical industry that include sales and marketing, clinical research, academic detailing, and drug development. The average starting salary is typically between $80,000 - $100,000. Companies that have hired PharmD/MBA graduates include: